Bowling team gets golden hat trick, eight on the day for Indonesia

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Bowlers Happy Ari Dewanti Soediyono, Putty Insavilla Armein and Novie Phang pulled together to produce a shocking victory in the women's event for the team's third gold in Paranaque City on Thursday.

Overall, the national contingent's haul on the fifth day of competition was eight gold -- from gymnastics (2), bowling, rowing, weightlifting, cycling, swimming and, late in the evening, the men's team pencaksilat contribution.

Indonesia remained in fifth place with 18 gold medals, behind the host, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.

There is the disheartening prospect that Indonesia, which was third in Vietnam in 2003 and is a nine-time overall medal standings winner, could finish outside the top three when the Games end on Monday.

Officials are already blaming the poor showing on the lack of government support for the athletes.

"I knew it when they arrived," team official Indra Kartasamita told The Jakarta Post.

"As a former athlete, I see support from government officials at the venues as imperative to boost the athletes' fighting spirit," added the former sailing athlete.

Even with support in short supply and the gripes about the bias toward the host team, the Indonesian women bowlers put in an impressive performance, scoring 4,060 points to thrash the favored host team (1,317) and Malaysia.

For Putty and Happy, it was their second gold after their triumph in the doubles. The other gold for Indonesia was contributed by Ryan Lalisang in the men's individual event.

Gymnastics contributed two gold through Adelina "Riri" Wulandari in the women's vault, who edged compatriot Dewi Prahar, while in the men's floor exercise Muhammad Adiala Akbar shared a crowded threeway tie on the podium.

Magdalene Sutanto took Indonesia's second gold medalist in the pool in the women's 800-meter freestyle in Los Banos, following on from Wednesday's 100-meter freestyle win by evergreen Richard Sambera.

Santia Tri Kusuma gave the Indonesian cycling team a flying start on the opening day of competition in Tagaytay. A double gold medalist two years ago, Santia won the women's Individual Time Trial. But the men's division belonged to Vietnam, leaving veteran Tonton Susanto to settle for silver.

In rowing, Agus Budi Aji, Aldino Maryandi, Rodiaman and Iswandi won the men's lightweight sculls.

From Bacolod, Misdan Yunip lifted a total of 306 kilograms to earn the Indonesian weightlifting team a gold in the 69-kilogram division.

The men's pencaksilat team triumphed in Cebu, outfighting Vietnam and Malaysia.